Arsenal see off Hoops

Thursday, August 27, 2009 ·

EDUARDO DA SILVA had better not visit Glasgow any time soon.

Not unless he has developed a taste for hospital food.

Arsenal's Croatian international striker has already spent more than enough time in plaster following his horrific leg break last year.

But that would be nothing compared to the damage he would suffer if the angry Celtic fans could get their hands on him.

For those travelling supporters will return to Scotland this morning convinced their team have been cheated of the chance to compete with Europe's elite.

And who can blame them, after Eduardo's outrageous first-half dive to con Spanish referee Manuel Mejuto Gonzalez?

All 2,600 Celtic supporters in the Emirates' away end had a bird's eye view of the appalling act of simulation which led to Arsenal's decisive penalty.

Unlike Senor Gonzalez, they could clearly see there was no contact between Eduardo and keeper Artur Boruc before the Brazilian-born lightweight threw himself to the ground.

It was so blatant even the infamously myopic Arsene Wenger conceded it was never a penalty.

No wonder Boruc went loco when Gonzalez pointed to the spot. It was almost enough to make you feel sorry for our Caledonian chums. Almost.

To add insult to injury, it was Eduardo who dusted himself off to send Boruc the wrong way with his unerring 27th-minute penalty.

It was a travesty of a goal and one which allowed Celtic to claim they had been the victims of an appalling miscarriage of justice.

A deflection and an own-goal in the first leg and a dive in the second. That is what they will swear has sealed the Gunners' Champions League place for a 12th successive season.

The truth, of course, is that Celtic were comprehensively outplayed by Wenger's young team over the two legs of this qualifying tie.

They hardly threatened Manuel Almunia's goal until Massimo Donati's stunning angled volley with the final kick of the game.

But that consolation strike was as good as it got for the pride of Scotland. William Gallas and Thomas Vermaelen were once again outstanding at the heart of Arsenal's back four, while Denilson and Abou Diaby totally ran the midfield.

Even Nickolas Bendtner looked a potential world-beater when his clever back-heel allowed Emmanuel Eboue to finish off a sublime Arsenal move in the 54th minute.

And it was the same sorry story for Celtic 20 minutes later, when Andrey Arshavin exchanged passes with fellow sub Aaron Ramsey to score within seconds of his introduction.

Yet the undisputed reality of Arsenal's superiority has still been tainted by Eduardo's gamesmanship.

The sad thing is he did not need to resort to skulduggery. He more than had the beating of Celtic's defence with his God-given ability.

He should have put this tie beyond Celtic's reach in the opening minutes but stabbed the ball wide after Boruc had clawed out Bendtner's shot.

And he was denied by another flying save from Celtic's giant Polish keeper shortly before the break.

Tony Mowbray's team were already well beaten by then, the last remaining stuffing knocked out of them by that contentious penalty.

All they had to offer after that was Scottish pride and a burning sense of grievance. Yet what they lacked in quality they more than made up for with commitment and effort. Like an angry swarm of radioactive wasps in their day-glo hooped shirts, they snapped and flapped in Arsenal's ears.

Gary Caldwell and Aidan McGeady were both yellow carded for industrial-strength challenges on Eboue and Diaby. Denilson and Scott Brown were also booked for a late bust-up.

No one would have relished those meaty tussles more than watching Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson, ahead of Saturday's visit from Arsenal.

Wenger insists that qualification for the Champions League is far more important than any Premier League trip to Old Trafford.

But Saturday's encounter with United will tell us just how good his youngsters really are.

No one at the Emirates has forgotten the ruthless manner in which they were taken apart in the semi-finals of last season's Champions League.

They are determined to show they are now genuine trophy contenders, after far too long without silverware.

And today's draw in Monaco will confirm Arsenal's place among Europe's top-seeded high-fliers.

Qualification for the league stages will be worth £20million, more than enough to satisfy the bean-counters.

Wenger is above such financial concerns. For him, the Champions League is more a matter of pride and prestige.

What a pity his sense of moral superiority has been tainted by Eduardo's chicanery.

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